I think we can learn several things from the original article re the China hammer murderer that would be useful here in the U.S. to stem the tide of tool violence.
1. "Police also found a hammer, which is thought to be the murder weapon, at the scene. Members of the investigation unit went to hardware stores around the area to trace the source of the weapon. After checking the identification number on the item, police discovered that a local store had sold the same hammer one day before the crime, said investigators "
Congress should pass a law mandating that all tools (hammers, pry bars, chisels, wrenches, etc.) and anything metallic or wood or polymer longer than 3 inches (pipes, dowel, etc.) be required to have a serial numbers embossed by the manufacturer, and that this number be recorded by the seller at point of sale and reported to the government for confirmation when the item is registered by the user, preferably requiring at least three trips to the police state station during normal working hours.
2."After his arrest, Liu reportedly said that he recently broke up with his girlfriend. He also stated that he was drunk and in a bad mood when he ran into the victim, according to police. Authorities said Liu claimed that he committed the crime on impulse and did not mean to commit murder."
This shows the failings of the Chinese system and how we can improve to deny deadly assault tools to the mentally unstable and intoxicated. Of course we need to ban alcohol. This will greatly improve the safety of all citizens, as many sociological and criminological studies confirm that alcohol makes a substantial contribution to all kinds of violence and injury. We need to expand the mental health system in a way that anyone under stress from anything, including relationship problems or mood swings, impulsivity, etc. can be denied a permit to acquire during their background check. This could likely be accomplished, if not now, in the very near future, by implanting a chip that would monitor brain chemistry 24 hours a day and send any readings indicative of stress or bad moods to the appropriate agency database that would then render any applicant a prohibited person. For the children.
3. Congress also needs to pass a National Tools And Pieces of Metal or Wood Act, that would require extensive paperwork, more detailed background checks, a wait of many months, and a minimum $5000 "tax stamp" in order to be allowed to shorten the handle on any tool to whatever length is determined to be convenient for criminals. Lengths 1/16 of an inch longer than the minimum would be perfectly legal without any bureaucraticf intervention other than the regular background check, etc., because those lengths are perfectly safe and never used by criminals. Though of course the ultimate goal is to ban all such weapons via incremental restrictions. By the way, we fully support Americans right to keep and bear tools.
It's just common sense!